Index card



Feb.` 5, 1929.

G. H. DAWSON INDEX CARD Filed Jul 6, 1926 av/752597* Gear eHa/w 7?/ engage the surface of the card to preventV naar.

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GEORGE n. DAWSON, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To SERVICE RURRAU,` inc., or CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A coRroRATIoN or' MASSACHUSETTS.

INDEX CARD.

Application led .Tuly 26,

The invention relates to index cards and particularly to the construction of the tab or label holder of relatively stiff cards, such as are commonly employed as guides Vor dividers to separate into groups the cards, folders or other index matter constituting a so-called vertical index System.

The principal objects of theV invention vare to provide an improved form of tab having alarge window opening permitting the display of an unusually wide label, the sight opening extending below the margin of the card in order that the tab will not project an excessive distance above the card and thus diminish its rigidity; toprovide a tab of this character which is curved or bent 'rearwardly of the card to permit a clear View of the label inserted therein and to add stiffness to the assembled structure so that the tab is less likely to'bend when pulled' forward to permit removal of the 'folders behind the guide card; to provide a metal tab having serrated `edges bentl Vvat abrupt angles to the body portion of the tab, thus furnishing short prongs adapted to the admission of paper sheets between the card and the tab, to provide an index card having a pair of projecting tongues at one margin defining the margins of a cut-out recess ,and a tab Afolded over said tongues and having a window opening embracing the card recess, the ends of the tab being closed by the card tongues so that an indexl slip inserted into the window at'its lower margin is prevented from longitudinal slippage or accidental removal; and in general to provide an index holder, adapted for attachment to a guide card which is Simple and economical of manufacture, yet durable and'convenient in use. j Y

/Inthe accompanying drawings, illustrating several embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is afront elevation 0f acard -hav-` fing one form of the improved tab applied thereto; l i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing the construction of thecard shown in Fig. 1 prior to the attachment of the tab;

`Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on v Y the line 3 3 of Figfl;

Fig. l' is a view similar to Fig.` 3 showing an optional type of construction; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryvview similar vto Fig. 1 showing-a further modification "in 1926. Serial No. 124,887.

structurey and illustratingv themanner of inserting a label within the tab. y

' The card body 6 isma'deof any Suitable stift' sheet material, suchas cardboard, fibreboardor the like, and` is `provided with integral Spacedapart ltongues 7 -which :pro ject yfrom its upper margin. The opposed edges 8 of these tongues are substantially parallel and, in extension, define the vertical margins of a relatively deep,fsubstantially rectangular' recess or opening 9 cut from the card body.. Opposed 'notches lOv are provided at the endsof thev respective tongues and theouter edges or shoulders 11 of the Fig. 2. The upper margin of the card is also out away at V12 adjacent the respective y shoulders 11l tov permit vthe tongues to beV flexed rearwardly ofthe 'card for the purposes hereinafter explained, and a shallow recess 13 is 'stamped from the lower margin of opening 9 to admit a finger'fo'r the purposeofremoving a rlabel from the assembled vstructure, as will become apparent. V rlhe tab or label lholder preferably consists of a piece of' thin sheet met-al, such for example as brass, doubled or 'folded at 14 to provide*substantially rectangular front and rear leaves 15 and 16, respectively. 'K'lhe lateral margins of the bla-nkfare preferably notched, however, at the fold so that the vwidth of the tab attherfold line is considerably restricted. ,A window 17 of unusuahwidth (inavertical dimension in the drawings) is provided in the front leaf 15, adjacentthe foldline .14.' The lower margin of the window has a recess 18 correspondfic ingto the card recess 13', and notches 19 are j provided lto furnish*y additional space at said margin for thev insertion of va label lwithin the window. As indicated in Figs.V 3 and 4f respectively,the upper-portion of the tab is preferably curved, or bent at an j .abrupt angle, rearwardly, before application to the card.l f

The edgesof each ofthe leaves l5 and Vr16vv n are preferably; serrated, providing relatively f short," spaced-apart teeth 20 which are bent'V rearwardly of theirespectiveleaves at labrupt angles thereto. lt 4is preferred; that the. teeth' of the" front .leaf have blunt points Vand register withcorreSponding teethl of the'rear leaf in orderA thatithe card body 6 will notbe weakened excessi'vely'rwhen the leaves of the tab are fastened thereon. For

this purpose it is desirable that the tab be fashioned from a metal sheet, as aforesaid, but in other aspects of the invention it is obvious that different materials lof the requisite stiffness may bel satisfactorily employed, such forexample as sheet celluloid or heavy cardboard. Y

When the tab is applied to the card, the folded leaves straddle the tongues 7 and. cover the card recess 9, the fold line 14 fitting between the notches 10, and the tab shoulders registeringl with and protecting the card shoulder 11, so that a smooth upper edge is presented by the assembled struc-ture, which is obviously agreeable to the touch '0f thev user. Owing vlo the resiliency peri mitted by the cut-outs 12, tongues 7 are readily 'flexed or bent rearwardly to conform. to the curve or abrupt angle ofthe upperv portion of the tab, shown in Figs. 3 and fl respectively. lilith such construction, it is desirablethat thecurve or angle bend be imparted to the tab along a line parallel to ther upper margin of the cardl butsubstantially below said margin, for example adjacent the lower edge of window 17, so that the index data appearing on a label placed L'within the window will be clearlyr visible when the card isliled with others in a drawerr or receptacle. f

The` tab maybe secured to thecard in the aforesaid positlon'by rivets'21, orrother suitable fastenings, and when so secured the leaves engage thefront and rear faces 4of i label and cover the card body, teeth 2O biting into the card surface'so that it Yis impossible for paper sheets or other objects to ent-er and catch therebetween.

llc-.label or indes. slip 22 may thon be inserted into the card recess or pocket 9 behind .vindowv .17 byV passing it upwardly from the lower edge of the windowr between lthe notches 19. After passing over the lower odge of Jthc window, the bottom margin of the slip will snap into place against the rear leaf ofthe tab, asjshown in Figs. o and' d. lf desired, a transparent celluloid cover piece 23 may also be inserted with the label, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the label will be. .protecledV fromY moisture and soilage. lVhen fully inserted within window 17, the are held in fixed position' by the overlapping' margins of the front leaf 15 at the top and sides, and abut the lower margin of the card body recess 9 at the bottoni. Accidental endwiseL movement `of the label is preventedby the abutting edges 8' of the card tongues, so that` the indicia appearing upon the label is always Visible through window 17. g Thelabel, or label and cover together may ,easily be removedifrom the/.label holderbyinsertingja linger in the registering resesses 18`Vand 13 of the tab and card body, respectively, and graspingthe bottom edges thereof mousse Althougli particular advantages reside in the card and tab construction above dedr scribed, it is apparent that several features of this invention may be embodied in more simple forms of structure. For example,

Fig. 5 shows a card and tab applied thereto,

having a large window opening and serrated edges, but omitting the cut-outs 12 in Fig. 1. In this modification the leaves of the tab are substantially flat without a rearwardly curved or bent upper portion., Further changes in structural details may also be employed to lsuit particular needs without departing 'from` the essence of the inventionV as defined in the appended claims. v

Itis thus apparent that by utilizing the constructions herein described an improved label holder for guide cards is provided, possessing the several vadvantages set forth as objects of this invention.V The tab is eX- ceptionally strong and durable in use, especially 'when it is bent vrearwardly as in Figs. 3 or l, is economical to manufacture and readily applied to the card body, and permits clear visibility of a much larger label than is possiblein former devices of this nature. The card tongues not only close the endsof the folded tab to provide a dirt and moistureproof poclet for the label, but in .additionv serve to protect the tab shoulders and, by filling the space between the tab leaves, relieve the tab of objectionable sharp, projecting edges.-

I claim: 1. An index comprising a card having upstanding integral tongues spaced from each otherv at one margin, and defining a recess open at thev top and a. tab consisting of a folded piece of sheet-material, providing front and rear leaves, Vattached'to the card i en ing a window aperture, the card and tab,l

providing a label-receiving pocket thev ends ofwhich. are. closed by said tongues.

2. An index comprising a card having' upsta'nding integral tongues spaced from each other at one margin and a relatively deep recess intermediate Vsaid tongues, anda tab consisting of a folded piece of sheet mate# rial, providing vfront and rear leaves, attacl'ied to the card, vsaid tab straddling the i' outer .edges of said tongues and encompassing said recess, one of the taby leaves `having a window adjacent thefold line .and extending below said cardlmargin, Aand a portion of said-tab leaf overlapping said cardV recess to provide a label-receiving pocket, the upper portion ofl said foldedV tab being inclinedVv rearwardly of thefcard from a region beneath the upper margin of' of a label inserted within said recess, and

a tab formed of a ifolded piece of sheet material attached to the card body over saidV recess, the fold line orE the tali) being spaced above the top edge of the card body, said tab having a window opening opposite said l card recess extendingV upwardly beyond the top edge of the card body and downwardly to approximately the lower edge of the card recess, the fold of the tab being adapted to prevent upward displacement of the label and the bottom of the card recess, being adapted to prevent downward displacement of the label, the side margins of said window opening overhanging the card recess to provide side flanges for holding .the label in the card recess behind the window opening, said side flanges being notched at the corners of the window opening to permit the insertion and' removal of the label.

4. A guide card for indexes comprising a card body having a recess cut from the upper margin and opening through t-he top edge oi the card body and extending below the top edge of the card body orming shoulders to prevent lateral displacement Vto approximately the lower `edge the card recess, the *fold of the tab being adaptedito prevent upward displacement-of the label and the bottom of the card recess being adapted to prevent downward displacement of the label, the side and bottom margins of said window opening overhanging the card recess to provide flanges for holding the label in the card recess behind the window opening, said side flanges being notched at the bottom corners of thevwindow opening over the corners of the card recess to permit the insertion and removal of the label.

5. A guide card for indexes comprising a card 'body having arecess cut from the upper margin and opening through the top edge et the cardbody and extending below the top edge vof the card body Jforming shoulders to prevent lateral displacement ot' a label inserted withinv said recess, and a tab formed of a folded piece of sheet material attached-to the card body over said recess, the fold line of the tab being spaced abovethe top edge of the card body, said tab having a window opening opposite said card recess extending upwardly beyond the top ledge of the card body and downwardly toV approximately the lower edge of the Y ear'd recess, the fold of the tab being adapted to prevent upward displacement of the label and the bottom ofthe card recess being adapted to prevent downward displacement of the label, the side and bottom margins of said window opening overhanging the card recess tol provide flanges for holding the label in the card recess behind the wvinclow opening,v said side flanges being notched at theV bottom corners of the win dow opening over the corners of the Vcard "recess to permitthe insertion and removal of the label, and registering'central notches f at the bottom of thewindow and the bottom of lthe card recess between said notched cornersl to give access'to the bottom edge'of the label fer the purposel of removal.

Signed by me atCambridge, Massachusette this 21st day of Jul-y 1926.

Geenen DAWSON. 

